Sen. McDonald may draw some voters

Incumbent lawmaker who lost GOP primary could pull 5% in a 3-way race

By Jimmy Vielkind

Published 11:20 pm, Wednesday, October 31, 2012

ALBANY — State Sen. Roy McDonald knows the number of general elections he's run in off the top of his head: 18.

But as Election Day draws near, McDonald won't be attending any final rallies or knocking on any doors. He narrowly lost a GOP primary to Saratoga County Clerk Kathy Marchione, who mounted a challenge built in large part around McDonald's vote for same-sex marriage and his brusque explanation for reversing his position.

Regardless, McDonald's name is still on the ballot in the 43rd state Senate district as the candidate of the Independence Party. While Republican leaders in the four-county district have all endorsed Marchione, many acknowledge the incumbent from Saratoga will still draw votes. The question is, just how many?

"There's going to be a few people who may not get the memo," said Columbia County Republican Chairman Greg Fingar. "As far as percentages, I really don't know."

Nobody expects it to be a large enough percentage to affect the outcome of the race. Marchione is running on the Republican and Conservative lines, while Claverack Town Supervisor Robin Andrews is the Democratic candidate. Marchione has raised and spent more money than Andrews and has been campaigning for longer, mostly as a result of the primary.

But McDonald, a two-term incumbent who also served in the Assembly and as Wilton supervisor, could draw more than 5 percent of the vote. His campaign signs remain up in some parts of the district, which includes eastern Saratoga County, two towns in Washington County, most of Rensselaer County excepting parts of Troy and the city of Rensselaer and all of Columbia County.

It's also unclear whose base McDonald might cut into. Some Republicans remain quietly bitter about his primary loss, and could vote in protest. But his same-sex marriage vote endeared him to many unaffiliated voters and Democrats, who could pick him over Andrews, a married lesbian.

"It's going to cut into both," said Libby Post, a longtime area gay-rights activist who had worked for McDonald but is now aiding Andrews. "I think you're going to get Independent people, because that's the line he's on, and you might get a couple of Democrats who just want to show Roy they appreciate what he's done."

Speaking to the Times Union this week, McDonald said he had "no idea" how many people might vote for him. He said he has spent the past weeks attending ceremonial functions like a bus tour of economic development sites and, over the weekend, accepting an award at the Center for Discovery in Sullivan County.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not focused on the previous campaign. I did the very best I could," McDonald said.

He said he was most proud of his work advocating for the developmentally disabled — he has two grandsons with autism — and in holding the line on taxes in Wilton. McDonald said his government career might continue — there is speculation Gov. Andrew Cuomo might appoint him to his administration — but that no future path is set in stone.

"The public has treated me very well. I've been blessed to be involved in all of these programs. I'm proud of my record and grateful for the opportunities," McDonald said. "These jobs have a tendency to take you away a lot from your family. This has given me an opportunity to spend some quality time with them. You have to address these issues, and there's a certain point in time where you have to consider them."